Automatic sewing path copying device for sewing and the like machines



Sept. 17, 1968 E. BECKER ErAL 3,401,656

AUTOMATIC SEWING PATH COPYING DEVICE FOR SEWING AND THE LIKE MACHINESFiled Dec. 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l K Or/ NOrZ BY :TAZL. B TH A Treev5) Sept. 17, 1968 BECKER ETAL 3,401,656

AUTOMATIC SEWING PATH COPYING DEVICE FOR SEWING AND THE LIKE MACHINESFiled Dec. 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W n/mp5 Aor/ IVO7Z BY KARL RAT HUnited States Patent 11 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) The present inventionrelates to automatic sewing path copying devices for sewing and the likemachines of the general type comprising a driven stencil having acontour configuration conforming with the contour of a workpiece to beoperated on along the edge thereof, said workpiece being mounted in atentering frame coupled with said stencil through a cross-slidemechanism, to move the same past the stitch-forming or the like tools ofsaid machine.

While the invention will be described in the following with specificreference to an automatic edge stitching device suitable for embodimentin a conventional sewing machine, it will become apparent that theimproved control and operating mechanism as disclosed and describedherein may be utilized with equal advantage in conjunction with otheroperations, such as welding, to be performed along the zone adjoiningthe edge of a workpiece of any given contour or configuration.

According to known automatic sewing devices of the referred to type, afirst cross-slide coupled with the tentering frame holding the workpieceis operably connected with a second cross-slide through a cable drive,said second cross'slide having one slide member thereof connected to thestencil. Furthermore, the tentering frame is connected to a slide memberof the first cross-slide through a releasable coupling, while thestencil is arranged for cooperation with a U-shaped stencil operatingframe secured to a member of said second cross-slide. Finally, themembers of each cross-slide are operably connected with one anotherthrough ball-bearing type sliding door devices or mechanisms.

In the use of devices of the foregoing type, the necessity arisesfrequently in practice, depending upon the character of the sewing goodsor due to other causes, to interchange, during relatively short timeperiods, one stencil for another stencil of different size. Besides, inorder to enable a releasable coupling of tentering frames of varyingsize, corresponding numbers of coupling devices are required. Finally,it may be desirable, if not necessary, to change from one type ofcoupling device to another device, depending upon whether or not thecoupling devices between the tentering frame and cross-slide intersector cross sewing path to be produced.

The carrying out of such interchanges is practically connected withgreat difiiculties when using arrangements according to the prior artreferred to herein in that, aside from other defects and limitations,the U-shaped stencil operating frame principally allows of the use ofstencils of substantially equal size only. Besides, the cross-slidemember coupled with the tentering frame is normally fitted with adistinct number of coupling elements of definite type, whereby to makeit necessary to exchange both the members connecting the cross-slidewith the frame, on the one hand, and connecting the cross-slide with thestencil, on the other hand, while at the same time necessitating aloosening or release of the coupling between the sliding door mechanismsof the remaining coupling members of said slides.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is theprovision of improved means connecting a single cross-slide mechanism ofa sewing path copying 3,401,656 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 device of thereferred to type with the tentering frame, on the one hand, and with thecontrol stencil, on the other hand, whereby the foregoing and relateddifficulties and defects inherent in the prior devices are substantiallyeliminated or minimized.

A more specific object of the invention is to simplify and expedite theinterchange of both the tentering frame and control stencil in a devicereferred to hereinbefore.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an improved andsimplified coupling mechanism between the tentering frame, cross-slideand stencil of a sewing path copying device of the referred to type,whereby a desired number of coordinated pairs of frames and stencils maybe interchangeably mounted upon the device expeditiously and withoutspecial skill on the part of the operator.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects, as wellas novel objects thereof, will be better understood from the followingdetailed description, taken in reference to the accompanying drawingsforming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of automatic sewing apparatus comprising aconventional sewing machine and sewing path control mechanismconstructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken online II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a further fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale,taken on line III-III of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

Like reference numerals denote like parts in the different views of thedrawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally theprovision of a carrier preferably in the form of a profiled rail ofinverted U-shaped crosssection and constituting one of the cooperatingmembers of a cross-slide operating mechanism of the automatic copyingdevice and carrying both the tentering frame and control stencil of thedevice. The connection or coupling of said carrier with the tenteringframe may advantageously be of the releasable type, to enable the use ofdifferent frames interchageably with one and the same stencil, for thepurpose which will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

Expressed in other words, according to the present invention theworkpiece tentering frame and control stencil are connected with thesame member, referred to as the carrier member herein, of a singlecross-slide operating mechanism, said carrier being in turn releasablyor removably coupled with the other slide operating member. As aconsequence, a number of carriers may be provided for different types ofsizes of coordinated stencil and tentering frame combinations andinterchanged whenever required instantly and expeditiously, to suitvarying types of work at hand as well as other varying operatingconditions or requirements.

In order to achieve these aims, in particular to enable a quickinterchange without the use of special tools or skilled labor, thecarrier, forming one member of the cross-slide, is maintained inoperative engagement with the other cross-slide member by magneticattraction produced by a plurality of slidable holding magnets supportedby one of the members of the slide, to allow of relative movementtherehetween in accordance with conventional cross-slide design andoperation.

In order to ensure a smooth gliding movement of said carrier upon thecooperating cross-slide member, the holding magnets advantageously takethe form of permanent magnetic rollers forming a roller bearing with oneof the slide members and engaging a magnetic glide 3 strip of iron orthe like afiixed to the cooperating slide member.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooperatingslide member also takes the form of a guide rail of inverted U-shapedcross-section embraced by said carrier and displaceably mounted at rightangle to its longitudinal axis upon the sewing table of the machine,said rail having rotatively mounted therein, about a plurality ofhorizontal axes, a number of supporting rollers of magnetic materialwhich slightly project through apertures in the top part of the rail, toengage the magnetic strip affixed to the carrier or cooperatingcross-slide member. As a consequence, the permanent magnet rollers,forming a roller bearing together with said rail and attracting saidcarrier ensure an intimate and smooth releasable sliding connectionbetween the cooperating members of the cross-slide mechanism. For thelatter purpose, the carrier of inverted U-shaped cross-sectionadvantageously consists of non-magnetic material and has afiixed to theinside of its horizontal portion a strip of magnetic material, such asiron or the like, engaged by said rollers in the coupled or operativeposition of the members.

With an arrangement of the foregoing construction, all that is requiredfor the mounting or coupling of a desired carrier and associated stencilis to place the same upon the guide rail of the slide, to effect a firmand intimate gliding engagement therewith, by virtue of the magneticattracting forces between said rollers and said strip, along bothvertical and horizontal planes. In order to further improve the guidanceof the carrier, the guide rail member of the cross-slide may be fittedwith additional guide rollers rotatable about vertical axes andcooperating with vertical lateral guide plates or the like fast on saidrail.

According to a further improved feature of the invention, the profiledcarrier or cross-slide member carries the coupling member of a least onecoupling device releasably connectable to a cooperating coupling memberfast upon the tentering frame, to enable a ready and expeditiousinterchange of similar or different frames for the purpose, amongothers, of assembling one frame during the operation of the sewingmachine loaded with another frame.

In arrangements of the afore-described type, the cow I pling elementbetween the tentering frame and cross-slide may obstruct or intersectthe path of the seam to be sewn, whereby to limit the operation to seamsextending over a restricted portion only of the contour of the tenteringframe or, in other words, to prevent the sewing of substantially closedseams or patterns.

In order to obviate the last-mentioned defect, a plurality or array ofcoupling devices are provided connecting the tentering frame with thecross-slide carrier in conjunction with suitable by-pass means, totemporarily release or deflect the coupling elements of the devices andto allow of free or unobstructed passage of substantially the entirecontour zone or area of the frame or workpiece past the stitching toolsof the sewing machine, in a manner as will become further apparent asthe description proceeds in reference to the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the sewing path copying deviceshown includes a conventional sewing machine 2 mounted upon a sewingtable or support 1 and a sewing goods carrier or tentering frame 4resting upon and movable over said table and past the stitch-formingtool or needle 3, FIGS. 3 and 4, of said machine. As more clearly shownby the latter figures, the tentering frame consists of a lower clampingplate 5 of magnetic material, such as iron, and an upper clamping plate6 consisting of non-magnetic material and fitted with a plurality ofpermanent magnet elements 7, FIG. 1, suitably distributed over the areaof the plate. Both plates 5 and 6 being of like size have a contour orconfiguration conforming with the desired path or pattern of the seam tobe sewn upon the work 8 (fabric, etc.) operated on.

The fabric or workpiece 8 being of somewhat larger size than, but havinga configuration or contour conforming with the contour, of the plates 5,6 in the registry position, is placed or mounted between the plates, tobe clamped thereby by the magnetic attracting force between the magnets7 and plate 5 acting as a magnetic armature. As a consequence, aconstant edge zone of the workpiece 8, shown in the form of -a glove forpurposes of illustration, projects from and along the contour of theframe, to enable edge-stitching or seaming of the work upon passingunderneath the needle 3 of the sewing machine.

The tentering frame shown and the means for assembling or loading thesame with a workpiece is further described in and forms the subject ofour copending patent application Ser. No. 603,208 filed on even dateherewith and entitled Sewing Goods and the Like Tentering Frame andAssembly Device Therefor, which copending application is herewithembodied in the instant application by reference.

The upper clamping plate 6 carries three (in the example shown) spacedcoupling elements 9, 10, 11 which terminate in ball-pointed couplingrods or bars 12, FIG. 3. The coupling rods 12 are designed to releasablyengage in slits 13 of coupling members 14, 15, 16, respectively, whichare connected to a profiled carrier or rail 17 forming one of thecooperating members of a crossslide operating or control mechanism. Inthe example shown, the coupling members 14, 15, 16 are pivotally mountedupon the carrier 17 about an axis being parallel to the carrier axis andnormally urged to the horizontal position shown by the action ofsuitable return springs 19 urging the members to engage an abutment 20fast upon the carrier 17.

The carrier 17, being constructed of non-magnetic or magneticallylow-conducting material, such as aluminum, advantageously consists of ahollow profiled rail 21 of inverted U-shaped cross-section as shown inthe drawing. Secured to the inside of the central part 22 of the rail 21is an insert of magnetically active material, such for instance in theform of an iron strip or coating 23.

Carrier 17 in turn rests upon a guide rail 24 also having an invertedU-shaped cross-section and constituting the cooperating member of thecross-slide control mechanism. Mounted within the guide rail 24 are anumber of permanent magnetic rollers 25 rotatable about horizontal axesat right angle to the longitudinal rail axis, The rollers 25 slightlyproject through apertures 26 in the upper (horizontal) part 27 of therail 24, or beyond the upper face of the rail, for engagement andcooperation with the magnetic strip 23 of the carrier 17. The rollers 25of ring shape are preferably magnetized in the radial direction.Alternatively, the rollers may be of soft magnetic material, such asiron, and the strip 23 of permanent or hard and suitably premagnetizedmaterial, to provide a required magnetic attracting force.

Further mounted in the horizontal rail 24 are bearing pins 28 supportingball-bearings 30 secured to the pins by nuts 29 threadedly engaging thesame, said bearings rotating about vertical axes, projecting throughopposed apertures 31 in the lateral depending parts of the guide rail 21and slidably engaging the inner faces of the rail.

Connected, by means of screws or the like, to each of the opposite endsof the guide rail 24 is one part 34, 35 of a pair of angle pieces, theremaining trapezoidalshaped parts of which are arranged to move withinvertical guide slots 36, 37 in the table 1, in a manner to afforddisplacement of the cross-slide carried 17 in the coordinate directionsat right angle to one another, as indicated by the double arrows a and bin FIG. 1.

Items 39 and 40 are brackets connecting the carrier 17 with a controlstencil 41 having a configuration similar to part 27 of the guide thecontour of the tendering frame 4 and operated by a pair of drivingrollers, to cause the frame 4 to be displaced along a predeterminedsewing path, such as the outer contour of a glove shown by the drawingsfor illustration.

In use, a frame 4 holding a workpiece 8 is coupled with the carrier 17by inserting the ball pointed coupling rods 12 of the elements 9, 10, 11into the slits 13 of the members 14, 15, 16. Subsequently and while thesewing machine is still at rest, the carrier 17 is manually operated toor adjusted at its starting position according to FIG. 1 and the rollers42 set into rotation by a suitable drive (not shown), whereby todisplace the stencil 41 along a path corresponding to its contourconfiguration, thus in turn displacing the tentering frame 4 along asimilar path, in the manner described herein. After the stencil reachesthe starting point of the seam upon the upper horizontal portion of thesewing path, FIG. 1, an electric microswitch 43, FIG. 2, carried by therail 24 is actuated by its spring-urged actuating lever 44 engaging acamshaped depression 45 of the strip 23 of the carrier 17. Actuation ofthe switch in turn causes the starting of the sewing machine andinitiation of a sewing cycle, in a manner known and readily understood.

During the sewing cycle, after the seam reaches the lower horizontalportion of the sewing path, FIG. 1, a cam 46, FIG. 4, secured to thefront of the sewing machine engages the coupling member 16, whereby thepointed end of the cam causes the member 16 to be lifted and deflectedsufficiently upwardly, to allow the tentering frame 4 and workpiece 8 tomove freely past the needle 3. During the latter operation or temporaryrelease of the coupling member 16, a rigid coupling connection ismaintained between the frame 4 and cross-slide mechanism (carrier 17)through the remaining coupling elements 9, 10 and coupling members 14,15, respectively. After its subsequent release by the cam 46, thecoupling member 16 is returned to its normal (coupling) position by theaction of the spring 19 causing the coupling rod 12 of the element 11 tore-engage the coupling slit 13 of the member 16. In the same manner theremaining coupling members 14 and 15 are temporarily raised or deflectedby the cam 46 and returned to their normal (coupling) positions, tothereby enable sewing of the entire lower section of the seam, FIG. 1,without obstruction by or interfering with the needle operation of thesewing machine. FIG. 4 shows the intermediate position of the tenteringframe with the coupling member 15 in the raised or deflected position.

After completion of the lower portion of the seam, FIG. 1, the sewingmachine is stopped by a second microswitch (not shown) similar to andactuated in a manner analogous to the switch 43, while the stencilcontinues to operate until reaching the starting position of the deviceshown in FIG, 1.

If it is desired to exchange a coordinated stencil and cross-slide unitfor another unit of different size and/or type, all that is necessary inaccordance with the present invention is to life the carrier 17 off theguide rail 24 and to apply another carrier and stencil unit, thecoupling and alignment of the latter being automatically effected by themagnetic attraction therebetween and the magnetic rollers of thecooperating member or guide rail 24.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described in reference to aspecific illustrative device. It will be evident, however, thatvariations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalentparts or elements for those shown herein for illustration, may 'be madewithout departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention asset forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings areaccordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in arestrictive sense.

We claim:

1. An automatic sewing and the like working path copying device for usein connection with sewing and the like machines comprising incombination:

(1) a support,

(2) a control stencil having a contour conforming with the configurationof said path and displaceable upon said support,

(3) drive means to operate said stencil,

(4) a mounting frame holding a workpiece to be operated on alsodisplaceable upon said support, and

(5) a cross-slide coupling mechanism operably connecting said stencilwith said frame, to operate said frame through a path conforming withthe stencil operating path and past the stitching or the like tools of amachine mounted upon said support, said mechanism including (a) anelongated carrier supporting both said frame and said stencil,

(b) a guide rail parallel to and slidably supporting said carrier formovement in a direction along the axis thereof,

(c) means slidably support for movement angle to said axis, and

(d) cooperating magnetic means upon said carrier and said rail, to urgesaid carrier into releasable sliding engagement with said rail.

2. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 1, including rollerbearing means intervening between said carrier and said rail andcomprised of magnetic roller and glide strip elements, one of saidelements being of hard and permanently magnetized material and the otherelement consisting of soft magnetically active material.

3. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 1, including rollerbearing means intervening between said carrier and said rail andcomprised of a plurality of permanent magnetic rollers and a magneticglide strip supported, respectively, by said rail and said carrier.

4. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 1, both said carrierand said rail having an inverted U- shaped cross-section and arranged inmutually interengaging and relatively slidable relation to one another.

5. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 1, both said carrierand said rail having an inverted U-shaped cross-section and slidablyinterengaging one another.

6. An automatic copying device for a sewing machine as claimed in claim5, said frame comprising a pair of aligned clamping plates having acontour conforming with the contour of said stencil and supporting aworkpiece clamped therebetween with its contour zone projecting beyondsaid plates for edge seaming by the stitching tools of said machine, andsaid coupling mechanism including an array of horizontal couplingelements extending from said frame and adapted to releasably engagecorresponding coupling members extending from said carrier, meanspivotally supporting said members upon said carrier for deflectionbetween a normal horizontal position and a retracted vertical position,spring means to urge said members into said normal position, andstationary cam means carried by said machine and adapted for cooperationwith said members, to temporarily deflect said members while moving pastthe stitch-forming tools of said machine.

7. In an automatic copying device as claimed in claim 6, said couplingelements terminating in ball-pointed coupling rods and adapted to engagevertical coupling slits in said members.

8. An automatic copying supporting said rail on said in a direction atright device as claimed in claim 1, said coupling mechanism including anarray of spaced coupling elements extending from said frame and adaptedto releasably engage corresponding coupling members extending from saidcarrier.

9. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 8, said couplingelements terminating in ball-pointed coupling rods adapted to engagecoupling slits in said members.

10. A cross-slide mechanism comprising in combination:

(1) a support,

(2) an elongated carrier,

(3) a guide rail parallel to and slidably supporting said carrier formovement in a direction along the axis thereof,

(4) means slidably supporting said rail on said support for movement ina direction at right angle to said axis, and

(5) cooperating magnetic means upon said carrier and said rail, to urgesaid carrier into releasable sliding engagement with said rail.

11. In a cross-slide mechanism as claimed in claim 10,

including roller bearing means intervening between said carrier and saidrail and comprised of permanent mag References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS Schmidt. Abel.

Slinn. Lockwood. Milligan et a1.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN AUTOMATIC SEWING AND THE LIKE WORKING PATH COPYING DEVICE FOR USEIN CONNECTION WITH SEWING AND THE LIKE MACHINES COMPRISING INCOMBINATION: (1) A SUPPORT, (2) A CONTROL STENCIL HAVING A CONTOURCONFORMING WITH THE CONFIGURATION OF SAID PATH AND DISPLACEABLE UPONSAID SUPPORT, (3) DRIVE MEANS TO OPERATE SAID STENCIL, (4) A MOUNTINGFRAME HOLDING A WORKPIECE TO BE OPERATED ON ALSO DISPLACEABLE UPON SAIDSUPPORT, AND (5) A CROSS-LIKE COUPLING MECHANISM OPERABLY CONNECTINGSAID STENCIL WITH SAID FRAME, TO OPERATE SAID FRAME THROUGH A PATHCONFORMING WITH THE STENCIL OPERATING PATH AND PAST THE STITCHING OF THELIKE TOOLS OF A MACHINE MOUNTED UPON SAID SUPPORT, SAID MECHANISMINCLUDING (A) AN ELONGATED CARRIER SUPPORTING BOTH SAID FRAME AND SAIDSTENCIL, (B) A GUIDE RAIL PARALLEL TO AND SLIDABLY SUPPORTING SAIDCARRIER FOR MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION ALONG THE AXIS THEREOF, (C) MEANSSLIDABLY SUPPORTING SAID RAIL ON SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT IN ADIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLE TO SAID AXIS, AND (D) COOPERATING MAGNETICMEANS UPON SAID CARRIER AND SAID RAIL, TO URGE SAID CARRIER INTORELEASABLE SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RAIL.